Mzikamanda confirmed as new Chief Justice
Parliament on Monday confirmed Justice Rezine Mzikamanda as the new Chief Justice, replacing Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda who retired in December 2021.
Mzikamanda was confirmed with a two third majority approval of parliamentarians.
However, his confirmation was not without drama, as some lawmakers had no actual majority representation on required proportional representation.
But after some debate, Speaker of the National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara, ruled that two third majority is the one demanded by law.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera appointed Mzikamanda a few weeks ago pending the approval of the MPs pursuant to Section 111 subsection 1 of the Constitution as read together with Standing Order 117 rule 2 of Malawi Parliament Malawi.
Before the appointment, Justice Mzikamanda was already serving as Chief Justice but in an acting capacity.
He was appointed as Malawi High Court judge in 1997 after serving for many years in the Magistrate Court. He also, for a period of two years, served as director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Mzikamanda was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2012 by former President Joyce Banda after being “sidelined” by the late President Bingu wa Mutharika.
As Judge President for Lilongwe Registry, Mzikamanda was one of the deserving officers who were sidelined by the Mutharika administration when it promoted judges.
